The University of Niagara Falls Canada (UNF) is seeking visionary leaders for a rare opportunity to shape the future of Ontario’s newest university. UNF seeks to establish itself as a high-quality 21st-century centre of higher education. With plans to open its doors to the inaugural cohort of students in 2024, UNF is seeking dynamic leaders ready to guide the university from its origins to its opening day and beyond.
As the inaugural President and Vice-Chancellor and the inaugural Provost and Vice-President Academic, the right candidates will have a one-of-a-kind chance to shape the future of Ontario’s newest university – one that will have a positive impact on students, the City of Niagara Falls, and the Province of Ontario for generations to come. UNF will be rooted in the core values of innovative education and research for a digital world. The successful candidates will share our vision for delivering best-in-class undergraduate and graduate programs.
The successful candidates will be changemakers with the drive to build a new university from the ground up, establishing a strong foundation for future generations. They will share the founding vision for UNF as a university that instils a truly digital-first mindset. Visionaries and pacesetters who can see the potential of this post-secondary institution as a new model for preparing a future-ready workforce are preferred. Above all, the new leaders will have a passion for education. They will be educators and influencers with the ability to create experiences that meet students where they are in life – whether they are out of high school or looking to retrain for a second career.
Located in the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario, the university is projected to have a substantial economic impact, including $291 million in annual gross domestic product and $194 million in labour income. The University’s mission is to prepare graduates to be leaders in a digital world through innovative degree programs and research. All academic programs have been designed to promote a digital mindset characterized by digital fluency – a combination of technical proficiency, literacy, ethics and communication – and by a growth mindset that is future-focused, collaborative, change-oriented, and disposed toward continuous learning. UNF’s innovative educational model will be built on a digital-mindset foundation, preparing graduates for success in the new economy.
The University has received consent from the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities to offer an initial slate of five programs and intends to expand program offerings in the future. Consent has been received to deliver the following programs:
- Honours Bachelor of Science - Biomedical Sciences.
- Honours Bachelor of Business Administration – Majors in Digital Economy and Digital Marketing.
- Master of Data Analytics – Specializations in Marketing Analytics and Operations Analytics.
- Master of Management – Specializations in Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurship.
- Master of Arts in Digital Media and Global Communications.
The University will operate under a bicameral governance system with a Board of Governors and an Academic Council. The inaugural Board of Governors will be chaired by higher education leader, Sheldon Levy. The University of Niagara Falls Canada is part of Global University Systems (GUS), an international network of private higher-education institutions, brought together by a shared passion for accessible, industry-relevant qualifications.
The search committee will begin consideration of candidates immediately and will continue until the role is successfully filled. Applications should include a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names of three references (who will not be contacted without the consent of the candidate), and should be submitted in confidence to the University’s executive search consultants:
Laverne Smith & Associates Inc.
UNF@lavernesmith.com
